§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the amount of underspending or overspending on Health Service expenditure in the last available year.
§ Mr. FairgrieveFor 1979–80 it is provisionally estimated that, on the income and expenditure basis used in health board accounting, the boards will be overspent on hospital and community health services combined current and capital account by some £11 million. On a cash basis—that used for Vote accounting—there is likely to be a small underspending on those and other cash-limited services.
There is also likely to be an underspending, estimated at some £6 million, on the non-cash-limited family practitioner services. Expenditure on those services is determined by demand and 331W the estimated underspending is due mainly to lower than expected demand on the pharmaceutical and general dental services.